The Pyle Inside

I’m a worker eagle soaring through the sky

above me is the never ending plain of light blue and white

below me is the colorful quilt of life

each day, I fly over the world, and take some stories from it

my job is to give these stories to the weavers of the quilt

each block of fabric is unique and essential in the making of the quilt

it has been woven since the birth of the planet

its threads and dyes are constantly shifting

I swoop down to one particular land

my birthplace, India

a diverse land of many cultures

there are Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Christians, Buddhists and many more people

I see the bustling cities of Chennai and Coimbatore

Cars, autos and motorcycles weaving in and out of lanes

street vendors shouting out products

people walking in and out of small apartment buildings

taxis turning to nice neighborhoods

I see glorious and beautiful temples

some are centuries old and are dedicated to an even older faith

with tall towers with different designs

gold and bronze pillars

decorated with scenes of gods

I see people walking in and out

I hear priests chanting prayers

they place ornaments on the majestic idols

worshippers admiring the idols and wearing beautiful kurtas and sarees

I see farmers busy in their land

they are cultivating okra, brinjals, snake gourds, dal, rice, and much more

the smell of spices coming from each house

cinnamon, cumin, asafetida, bay leaves, cardamom, and much more

grandmas prepare for holidays by making sweets and desserts

gulab jamun, jalebis, kozhukattai and murukku are just some of them

I fly over trees with jackfruits, mangoes, guavas, and star fruits

I fly over jungles with tigers, buffaloes, deer and elephants

I hear children playing, laughing, and talking

in over 1000 different languages

I see their simple villages with straw huts and wells

they are proud of who they are and where they live

though some sleep with empty stomachs and aching limbs

but it’s getting dark and I must return to my nest

I look forward to tomorrow and all the days after

since no two parts of this world are identical

that is why the quilt is so remarkable and diverse